Ersain the Peerless
Ersain I (born Ersain Everard Imperio 17 August 656 - 17 June 696) was one of the most notable monarchs of the Empire of Kandarlon, from 681 until his death Emperor of Kandarlon and Dokar of Cerbia. He is more commonly called Ersain the Peerless because at his time, no monarchs ever match his audacity and strength as a ruler. Ersain's 15-year-reign was marked by a period of the empire's stabilization, much needed after the turmoil of Volinian Uprising. Popular among his subjects, he was also a brilliant statesman and diplomat. =Biography= Ersain Imperio was born 656 in Saz, capital city of Cerbia in Kandarlon, eldest child of Dokar Ersain V of Cerbia and Clotilde of Cerbia, his mother. His father appointed tutors to be his mentors and make sure that the young prince will evolve into a particular good dokar. After finishing his studies, together with his brother, Adino Imperio, Ersain left for western Hanver and even north of the Desert Continent, where he spent more than two years traveling. During this years, he learned many from his meeting with other people and manage to see what is the the culture outside the confines of the empire. He also encountered the different nations and races that lives all over Adyr, notably the Frebeians and the Tighearnachs. These led him to be liberal and kind to other nations and races which characterize his future reign. But during this travel. his brother, Adino, contracted an illness which led to his death. The grieving prince decided to return to his home and assumed the mantle of responsibilities, deciding it will heal him from the lost of his brother. =Rise to Power= During this time, Cerbia is emerging as the strongest of the dokens of Kandarlon. The news of the impending death of the Kandarlonian Emperor Favian IX made every candidate anxious of the election and kill every obstacles along the way. Ersain succeeded to the Dokarian throne in August 11, 652 and made himself candidate to the election. Prior to his accession, he has already made a name to himself as a just and unrelenting man of law. This reputation prove useful in courting other electors for votes and influence to the other politicians in the empire. His main opponent in the election is the Dokar of Orenum, Argider II, who began to bribe other electors to be elected emperor. But due to Ersain quick wittiness and a good team of intelligence, he manage to foil the conspiracy and got Argider exposed and arrested. He also appointed a cousin of Argider to be the new Dokar of Orenum, cementing his influence and power in the Dokarean Council. In Jan. 17, 681, he was duly elected to the throne and ascended as Ersain I of Cerbia. =Character of Reign= During his reign, Ersain worked to regularize state finance, promote agriculture, drain swamps to create productive crop lands, undertake many public works, and encourage education not only in Cerbia but as well as in Kandarlon with the help and consent of other dokars. He protected forests from further devastation, built a new system of tree-lined highways, and constructed new bridges and canals. He ordered the planting of variety of ornamental and fruit trees. The king renewed his capital Saz as a great city. He also had the Imperio Palace built. More than 400 meters long and thirty-five meters wide, this huge addition was built along the bank of the Seine River, and at the time was the longest edifice of its kind in the world. Ersain I, a promoter of the arts by all classes of people, invited hundreds of artists and craftsmen to live and work on the building’s lower floors. His public works made him beloved by the public populace. He also a gifted diplomat and statesman that an audience with him is sought not only by the Kandarlonians but also all Hanverians. He extended his influence to all monarchs and courts outside his doken of Cerbia. But the greatest achievement he has is that he manage to convince the electors that his son, the future Antony II, will be the next Emperor of Kandarlon so that no more ruinous war will occur in the future. He also indicated that his has all the making of the next emperor and statesman. Contemporaneous writers describe him as a man of wit, very keen on concentrating the power on himself, but at the same time with a benevolent and kind personality. His youthful education and travels around the continent made him an unusually learned monarch of Kandarlon. He died in 17 June 696 due to a hunting accident at his hunting grounds. The entire Kandarlon mourn the lost of the great emperor. =Marriage and Issues= Ersain married his first wife, Vivian Hildreth, a daughter of Keyson Lister who is a rich Dieberan merchant and politician. The couple were married in August 10, 680 and has two children. The queen died giving birth to the last child. *Antony Berman Carsten Imperio, who succeeded to the throne as Antony II but he's commonly known as Antony the Conqueror - has issues. *Amiro Halger Milton Imperio - has issues. He married Lady Jackae Holz, his second wife and daughter of the Cornelius IV, Noberator of Holz, Bapuria in December 5,690. He also has two children with her. *Sophia Corneille Imperio - has issues. *Karl Amiro Ersain Imperio - has issues. Aside from his two wives, he was known to have a strings of mistresses and sired many illegitimate children. The notable illegitimate children of Ersain are: *Arnim Danforth Imperio, Kandarlonian General - had issues. *Arnoux Brescia, Bishop of Arnprior. *Seybolt Jewell, Knight of Holy Order of St. Francos the Defender